Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 123922 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123922 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
I never told them I knew they followed us all those years—they were just doing what I was doing with Gavin in making sure we were safe. I couldn’t fault them for that, and I still couldn’t... except when they do really unnecessary things like fight other people over me.
“I’ll clean them up,” I said to my father and got the First-Aid kit from under the kitchen sink.
My father grunted, “You don’t deserve to be fussed over, you little pricks.”
James groaned, “Jesus, Da. What did you expect us to do? It’s the Slaters!”
“I don’t give a fuck who they are; you should have more respect for your sister than to treat her like a child who cannot handle her own situation. She is twenty-eight years of age.”
Go on, Da!
I stepped around my father when he paused his pacing to kick James in the leg. “And that is for makin’ the baby’s father hit Aideen in the face.”
“Da!” James hissed, leaned forward, and rapidly rubbed at the spot where our father kicked him.
I felt my lip quirk.
James glowered at my father but said nothing to him. He was thirty-four, but he knew age didn’t mean a thing when it came to our father. If he back-talked or stepped out of place, he would still get a hiding. All my brothers would. Even if they were bigger than our father, he’d cut them down to size real quick.
I audibly snorted, and it caused James to shoot daggers my way.
“Don’t look at me like that; you’re the one who just made me life ten times harder.”
“You’re blamin’ me?” James asked, angrily.
“Yeah, she is,” my father snapped, “and so am I.”
James threw his hands up in the air. “I defend me baby sister and I get backlash for it? Fuckin’ terrific.”
I glared at James. “You hit Kane for your own bloody reasons, don’t pretend you were doin’ it to defend me honour. I’m twenty-eight. I shouldn’t have to deal with this bullshit from me family.”
I turned away from James and walked over to Gavin who was holding his bloody face. I opened the First-Aid kit and then went and got a bowl of water. I put some ice in it from the ice dispenser in the fridge and grabbed a clean cloth.
“Look at me,” I asked Gavin when I reached him once more.
Gavin did as asked. He barely even winced when I dipped my cloth into the ice water and began to clean his face. I was angry with him, and not exactly for fighting. He was only helping our brothers, but I was pissed he went for Alec. Alec can be sweet as pie, but he can fight viciously when need be. Gavin’s face was proof of that.
“Big tough lad now… aren’t you?” I muttered to Gavin.
Gavin’s eyes shot to our brothers and father, his demeanour relaxed when he saw they paid us no attention.
“Why are you so nervous? They’re gonna find out sooner or later.”
Gavin grunted, “You’ll tell them?”
I shrugged. “Depends.”
“On what?” my stupid brother asked.
I moved my head down to his. “On whether you leave Brandon’s circle willingly or if I’ve to drag you from it.”
Gavin pulled away from me. “Bloody hell, Aideen.”
I stowed my itching palm and instead placed it gently on Gavin’s shoulder.
“I love you, and makin’ sure you have no part of that life is my job as your—”
“Sister!” Gavin cut me off on a growl. “You’re me sister, not me ma.”
I swallowed down the hurt that Gavin’s statement made me feel and played it off with a shrug. “You’re right, I’m not Ma, but I’m the closest thing you’ve ever had. You would want to start remindin’ yourself of that.”
I pressed a cotton ball hard against a cut over his eyebrow and it caused Gavin to hiss. I cleaned up the rest of his face and pushed the kit over to my other brothers as they began to clean themselves up.
“So,” James mumbled from across the table, “when are you goin’ to have... the baby?”
Fuck, that sounded so strange.
I cleared my throat. “In six months. I’m three months gone so it will be a short while yet before I start to show.”
“What’s that mean?” Dante asked me.
I snorted as I moved away from Gavin. “It means before I start to show a bump. A pregnant belly.”
“Oh. Right,” Dante said and pressed a pack of frozen peas to his jaw.
“Six months’ time will be in January,” Gavin commented.
I smiled. “Yep, and you won’t believe when my due date is?”
My brothers all smiled. “Ma’s birthday?”
“The very one. Can you believe it? Out of all the days for me to be due a baby, it falls on Ma’s birthday.”
“I told you she is watchin’ over you—all over you.” I looked at my father when he stepped next to me. I smiled when he folded his arms around me. “Congratulations, babygirl.”
I squeezed my father tightly. “Thanks, Da.”
“Yeah, congrats sis,” Harley’s voice rang out.
I smiled as I pulled away from my father and found all my brothers up on their feet and moving towards me. I laughed when they surrounded me and we had us a big group hug.
“We’re goin’ to be uncles!” Gavin said, his voice sounding like a child’s.
I laughed and moved away from my brothers and over to the sink where I got a drink of water. “Yep, you will be uncles but so will the Slater brothers, so I’d appreciate you four not attackin’ them when you see them in the future.”
James smirked at me. “No promises.”
I shook my head. “Everythin’ is crazy right now for me and Kane. Please be considerate. He only got out of hospital ten days ago.”
“For what?” Harley questioned.
“He has diabetes,” I explained.
My father shook his head and glared at James.
“I didn’t know he was ill!” my brother snapped in his defence.
I exhaled.
“Besides, he didn’t hit like he was weakened in any way.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. My brothers and father followed suit.
A few hours passed by with just myself, my father, and my brothers talking to one another. We went down memory lane and discussed our futures with smiles and laughter. Around nine pm I began to feel really tired. Harley offered to drive me home, which I happily accepted. I hugged everyone goodbye, let them know I thought they were dicks for fighting, but that I loved them anyway.